Under the Poppy

by Kathe Koja

From a wartime brothel to the intricate high society of 1870s Brussels, Under the Poppy is a breakout novel of childhood friends, a love triangle, puppet masters, and reluctant spies. Under the Poppy is a brothel owned by Decca and Rupert. Decca is in love with Rupert but he in turn is in love with her brother, Istvan. When Istvan comes to town, louche puppet troupe in tow, the lines of their age-old desires intersect against a backdrop of approaching war. Hearts are broken when old betrayals and new alliances—not just their own—take shape, as the townsmen seek refuge from the onslaught of history by watching the girls of the Poppy cavort onstage with Istvan’s naughty puppets. With the war getting too close, Istvan and Rupert abandon the Poppy and find a place in high society where they try to avoid becoming more than puppets themselves in the hands of those they have helped before and who now want to use them again. Under the Poppy is a vivid, sexy historical novel as delicious and intoxicating as the best guilty pleasure.

(From Publisher).

Kathe Koja's books include The Cipher, Skins and Extremitie, her young adult novels include Budda Boy, Talk, Kissing the Bee, and Headlong. Her work has been honoured by the ALA, the ASPCA, and with the Bram Stoker Award. Her books have been published in seven languages and optioned for film. She’s a Detroit native and lives in the area with her husband, artist Rick Lieder, and their cats. Under the Poppy is currently being adapted for the stage.

Koja's sensual prose brings to life a lushly populated fantasy world filled with beauty, sex and death. Darkly atmospheric, Koja manages to spin an unforgettable tale of love and betrayal through her unique themes and poetic language.